Loose-leaf binder



.W. F. DUNNING.

LOOSE LEAF BINDER. APPLICATION FILEUAUG-Z h I920.

9 m J 4 mm F. m

v W. F. DUNNING.

LOOSE LEAF BINDER. APPLICATION FILED AUG-24, 1920.

1,398,422. I Patented NOV. 29, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I view ofthe binder inopen position,

entree stares earner caries.

WILLIAIVI FRED JDUNNING, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patggntgd NQV. 29?, 1921.

Application ruea August 24, 1920. Serial in. 405,649.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Finn) DUNN- ING, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of the city of Washington, in the District ofColumbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in aLoose-Leaf Binder, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a loose leaf binder,

and more particularly to a loose leaf binder to hold individual loosesheets, and so constructed as to permit ready access to any of saidsheets.

A binder constructed in accordance with my invention will permit anynumber of individual sheets or cards, within the capacity of thisdevice, to be securely fastened and at all times permit ready removal ofany sheets or cards without displacing the remaining ones. M

One object of my invention is to provide a binder which employs straightprongs or more apparent in the specification and in the drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective Fig. 2 is a rearv elevationof the back of the binder in open position, y

, Fig. 3is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 41 is a vertical transverse section of the binder in closed orlocked position,

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 55 of Fig. 41, I

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the back of the binder in open position,and

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on line 77 of Fig. 5.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which 10 indicatesthe sides or covers-of the binder, and 11 metallic stripsv disposedadjacent one end of each of the cover pieces 10. These metallic piecesmay be connected in any suitable manner to the cover pieces 10 whichwill provide a flexible connection, and I have here illustrated thisconnection being made by the linen covering of the binderwhich willextend around the cover pieces 10 and the metallic strips 11 andaorossthe back of the device as indicated at 12, providing a coveringfor the working parts thereof. 1

Adjacent the back of the binder to which this invention relates, thereare transversely disposed plates 13 secured in any suitable manner tothe metallic strips 11., Secured to these plates 13are binding posts orpins 141. These binding posts or pins are straight and projectright-angularly from the plates 13. The posts onthe opposite plates areoffset from one another to enable them to come into alinement with theseries of apertures contained in the leaves or sheets used in connectionwith binders of this type.

The inner edge of each ofthe plates13 is provided with curved lips15which encircle hinge rods 16. Right-angular lips or pro; jections 17 arealso formed on the inner edge of each of the plates 13. All of this isfor a purpose to be more fully hereinafterdescribed.

A pair of sliding back plates 18 have similarly formed curved lips 19,which encircle the hinge rods 16 to hingedly connect each of the plates13 with one ofthe sliding backplates 18. This is clearly illustrated inFigs.

1, 2 and 3. The back plates 18 are provided a with recesses, or cut-outportions, 20 to accommouate the right-angular l1ps17. It 1s apparentthat while the hinge connection between theplates 13 and 18 allowsrelative movement thereof, this movement is limited in one direction bythe angular lips 17 com ing in contact with the sliding back-plates 18.When these lips 17 are in contact therewith, the plate 13 and theappurtenant parts thereto are at right angles to the back of the binderand the pins 1% are vertically disposed and in alinementwith-theapertures 'of the sheets or cards. In this connection the metallicstrips 11 are extended beyond the hinged connection between the plates18 and 18 as indicated at 21 and thereby afford a stop for the covers orsides of the device in the other direction.

Extending longitudinally or the back is a a pair of locking plates 22which cover the overlapping edgesof the sliding back-plates 18. Thesliding back-plates are each provided with a pair of vertically disposedslots v the binding and passing through these slots are studs 24, whichstuds are rigidly secured in the pair of locking plates 22. These studs,therefore, provide guide members for the movable back plates 18 andlimit the travel of these back plates, in a manner to be more fullyhereinafter described.

The vertical edges of the pair :of locking plates are provided withcutaway portions or looking recesses 25, while thevertical edges of thesliding back-plates 18 are provided with looking notches 26 and beveledsurfaces 27. i V r V Mounted upon the rear plate of the pair of lockingplates 22 is the locking mechanism. This comprises two longitudinallocking bars 28 provided near their outer ends with slots 29 throughwhich pass studs 30. These studs 30 are rigidly mounted in the rearlocking plate 22-and provide a guide for the outer end of each of thelocking bars 28. The inner ends of the locking bars are pivoted as at 31to a link 32 pivoted as at 33-to the lockingpla'te 22. A. coil spring34, or spring of any'other suitable nature, has its ends connected toone of the lockbars 28, as indicated at 35 and to an intermediateportion of the other locking bar, as indicated at 36. This spring,therefore, retains the lockin bars inthe position illustrated in Fig. 2in which position they are at the limit of their inward travel, and arein locking position. The outer end of each of the locking bars 28 isprovided with a rightangular projection or'latch '37 which lies withinone of the recesses 25 at each end of the locking plates 22,'and isadapted to ride over the beveled edges 27 of the sliding back-plate l8and to snap in the notches 26 of these sliding back-plates when thesenotches are properly positioned. I

An operating link 38 is fastened to one of the locking bars 28 andterminates in a thumb piece 39. Therefore, when pressure is applied tothe thumb piece 39, the link 32 will be rocked, forcing the latches 37outwardly to free the sliding back-plates '18. .7

In order to throw the back of the binder open and the binding posts 14;apart, springs 40, are provided having each of their ends secured in oneof the sliding back-plates 18, respectively. By this construction, whenthe sliding back-plates are freed by reason of the release of the latch37 the sliding back-plates 18 will move in opposite directions withrespect to one another, carrying posts out of operation or bindingposition.

I will now proceed to describe the operation of my improved binder. Whenit is desired to insert the cards or sheets, here indicated by theletterC, the device may be made to'assume the position illustrated in Fig. 1.With the cards in position upon one side'on the binding posts 14, theother side or cover, and its corresponding binding posts, will be swungon its'hinge until the posts 14: assume a vertical position'and are inalinement with apertures of the cards C. The correct position of thebinding posts is assured by reason of the angular projections or lips 17carried by the plate 13. As these lips 17 enter the recesses 20 in theback-plate 18 the motion of the plate 13 and pins 1 1 is arrested andthe pins 141 are in a position to enter the apertures in the cards 0.Vertical pressure thereafter; applied to the back of the binder willcause the two sliding back-plates 18 to move inwardly toward one anotherbetween the locking plates 22. During this action the bevels 27 lips 17have passed between the locking plates 22, thereby preventing the plates13, carrying the pins '14:, from being moved on their pivots 16 untilthe sliding back-plates '18 have been freed and allowed to move sufliciently from between the locking plates 22 to again free the angularlips 17. 7

By this construction, when the pins 1 1 have entered the apertures inthe cards or sheets andthe device has been locked, the binding posts orpins 14: will securely retain the cards in place. The device may beunlocked by pressure upon the thumb piece 39 which, by reason of thelink 32, will cause both latch bars 28 tomove outward simulta neouslyand lift the latches 37 out'of the notches 26 in the sliding back-plates18.

It should also be noticed that this binder cannot be made to assume itslocking position without the binding posts 14 first having been properlyalined and inade'to. enter and modifications may bema'de in the detailsof my invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof andI, particularly reserve this right.

Having thus described myiinvention, what I claim is: 1' j 1. A device ofthe class described comprising side .members, a back comprisingrelatively movable plates for opening and closing said device,post-carrying members hinged to said plates, and straight binding postscarried by said members, said postcarrying members and plates beingadapted to cooperate to position said posts in spaced parallel relationwhen the device is in closed position.

2. A device of the class described comprising side members, a backformed of two relatively movable plates, post-carrying members hingedlysecured to said plates, straight binding posts carried by said members,spring means for forcing the plates open and means for automaticallylocking said device when the same is in closed position.

3. A binder comprisingside members and a back, said back being providedwith overlapping plates, binding post-carrying members hingedlyconnected to said plates and secured to said side members, binding postssecured to said post-carrying members, said back and post-carryingmembers cooperating to position said posts in spaced parallel relationwhen the device is in closed position, means for locking said device inclosed position andmeans to prevent locking of said device unless saidposts are properly aligned.

4. A temporary binder comprising side members, a back includingoverlapping plates, post-carrying secured to said plates and connectedto said side members, straight binding posts carried by saidpost-carrying members, springs normally forcing said overlapping platesapart, means for locking said plates in their extreme overlappingposition and means formed on the post-carrying members for preventingthe locking of said device unless said binding posts are in properalinement.

5. A device of the class described comprising a pair of side members, apair of post-carrying members secured thereto, a

members hingedly back comprising two slidably arranged overlappingplates and locking plates between Which said slidable plates aremounted, said post-carrying members being hingedly secured to saidoverlapping plates, a locking mechanism carried by said locking plates,means upon said slidable plates cooperating with said locking mechanismfor retaining the device in closed position, angular projections formedupon the post-carrying members and recesses formed in the slidableplates for receiving said projections when the device is in lockedposition.

6. 'A device of the class described comprising a pair of side members, apair of postcarrying members secured thereto, a pair of slidableoverlapping plates forming a back and hingedly secured to saidpost-carrying members, straight binding posts projecting from said postcarrying members, said plates being slidably arranged to open or closethe device, means for locking said plates in their extreme overlappingposition and means on said plates and said post-carrying members whichcooperate to position said posts in spaced parallel relation when thedevice is in closed position.

7. A device of the class described comprising a pair of side members, aback formed of two overlapping plates slidable with a relation to eachother to open or close the device, post-carrying members secured to saidside members, straight binding posts carried by said post-carryingmembers, spring means normally tending to force said plates open andmeans for automatically locking said plates in their extreme overlappedposition thereby securing the device in closed position and positioningthe posts in spaced parallel relation.

WILLIAM FRED DUNNING.

hingedly

